Letters to the editor - Asian Age

From: Venugopal Kaikulath (venu1005@hotmail.com)
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 12:39:26 PM
To: medasia@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in
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Dear Editor,

Asian Age editorial (September 27) pours scorn over Colombia University President Lee C. Bollinger describing his guest Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian President, in uncomplimentary terms, saying that a guest should not be so insulted. I would not call it an insult, but plain speaking or simply calling a spade a spade. How else would you introduce a President who called for Israel to be wiped off the map and is now building nuclear weapons probably to do just that? The host’s words, far from being uncivilized, were appropriate. Regards

K.Venugopal

venu1005@hotmail.com

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Faith and Science‏
From: Venugopal Kaikulath (venu1005@hotmail.com)
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 11:59:50 AM
To: gautamsaha123@rediffmail.com

Dear Gautam,

Congratulations for your logical question in your letter to the Editor of Asian Age (dated 24.09.07). On one hand Karunanidhi says Ram is just a fictional character and on the other hand he seeks to character-assassinate Ram by alleging he was a drunkard. Now the only way he can absolve himself is to say that he was only doing a literary review of the characters of Ramayana. In which case he should at least tell us what he thinks of the Ramayana as a literary piece. If he thinks Ramayana is a literary masterpiece (he is unlikely to think otherwise, unless he wants to make a fool of himself again), than are not the author, story and characters of Ramayana worthy of being honoured and, Sethu Bandhanam being central to the story, shouldn’t it be preserved as a monument to the great Ramayana?

Great going Gautamji, keep writing.

Regards
K.Venugopal
Mumbai

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Michael Madhusudan Dutta‏
From: Venugopal Kaikulath (venu1005@hotmail.com)
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 11:38:16 AM
To: medasia@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in

From: venu1005@hotmail.comTo: medasia@giasdl01.vsnl.net.inSubject: Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 11:35:55

Dear Editor,

Re Sandipan Khan's letter in today's Asian Age (24.09.07) about Michael Madhusudan Dutta showing Rama in poor light in his work Meghnadbadh Kavya, it would be worthwhile noting that the great Bengali poet converted to Christianity and therein would lie the basis of his thinking low of Rama.

Regards

K.Venugopal

venu1005@hotmail.com

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Irresponsible journalism‏
From: Venugopal Kaikulath (venu1005@hotmail.com)
Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2007 2:15:15 PM
To: Asian Age (medasia@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in)
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To,
The Editor,
Asian Age.

Dear Sir,

Seema Mustafa, the Asian Age’s star journalist, has reported in the front page of today’s (22.09.07) Asian Age that Delhi Gymkhana Club’s election is due later this month and that in the fray for Presidentship are our country’s serving Chief of Army Staff Gen. J.J.Singh and head of Western Air Command Air Marshal P.S.Ahluwalia. This much is fair journalism. But she went on to allege that Gymkhana Club “has become a war zone for the Indian Army and Air Force”. She has insidiously mentioned that the Club “has several representatives of defence manufacturing companies and middle-men as its members”. For our benefit she has also reported that the two contenders are not on talking terms – “instead of speaking politely to each other to work it out, they kept throwing verbal darts at each other”. She goes on to make the startling revelation that “The Gymkhana Club contest has sharpened difference between the Army and the Air Force, with officers who are members taking polarized positions.” and takes the opportunity to add that “the services are divided outside as well”, what with each group being pitted against the other in the matter of even promotions.

Being a frequent reader of her regular articles in the Asian Age, I am convinced that she is committed to take an Islamist-Left view of all matters, particularly being ribald against the Hindutva forces. Therefore her sensationalist reportage of a mere local club election (albeit a prestigious one), to the extent of casting aspersions on the integrity of our top officers and even the defence institution itself is in keeping with the Islamist-left discomfort with any national/nationalistic institution.

Seema Mustafa’s article comes in the wake of a High Court verdict sentencing 4 journalists to imprisonment for casting aspersions on a retired Chief Justice of India. Since her article under the head “General fights air marshal for post at Delhi elite club” is more contemptuous in nature, she ought to be prosecuted by law.

Regards
K.Venugopal
Mumbai
e-mail: venu10005@hotmail.com

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RE: conversion?‏
From: Venugopal Kaikulath (venu1005@hotmail.com)
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 9:10:59 PM
To: rcmartis@yahoo.co.in
Dear Shri Martis,

I am happy to receive your e-mail. You say the Vedic vision "truth can be expressed variously” is vague and misleading. But this vision is the very cornerstone of the pluralistic Hindu culture. It is the vision of this mantra that has ensured that every form of worship ever tried out in the history of man is extant in this very ancient land even today. There was nothing like ethnic cleansing or state religion in our country. Whatever the basic grammar of religious convictions, nothing should validate an order where only one religion or one language is cherished. You say the study of religions reflects conflicts of convictions. Maybe you would have a change of opinion if you consider the multitudes of religions that are thriving in India. They hardly reflect any sort of jostling for superiority. They are all in harmony, each religion having its own sacred space to prosper and continue adding to a rich heritage. The classification of religions is a genuine exercise in the world of academia. In this regard, I would say you forgot to include monism, which is about there being nothing other than God existing. What you see as conflicting views I would see as different points of view, all being correct from their own perspective. What exactly do you mean when you say that Christianity is a doctrinal faith? Can the religion taught by a Jesus who said, “Let the dead bury the dead”, “This too shall pass” “My Father and I are one” etc. seek to restrict its vision within a doctrine? Can we bind faith to any codes or limit it to any creed? How can the message of Jesus, which in one word is Love, ever be diluted? And when you talk about losing identity, you ought to ponder whether identity is not actually the very antithesis of spirituality, by which word I mean to be psychologically independent. Propagation of Christianity or any religion is only natural, but prorogating it to mean that it is the only path of salvation is being unfair to other religious cultures, to say the least. About the fear that it would cease to be a religion if not propagated, is not a lack of faith evident here? Why, did not Jesus say, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away”? All of us have convictions aplenty. We should have the philosophic bend of mind to reconcile even contrary seeming positions. If not an incisive intelligence, a large heart would do the trick. This is precisely what Jesus taught. I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

K. Venugopal

Mumbai >

From: Richard Martis ">rcmartis@yahoo.co.in>

To: medasia@giasdlol.vsnl.net>

CC: Venugopal Kaikulath ">venu1005@hotmail.com>

Subject: conversion?>Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2007 15:59:50 +0000 (GMT)>>

This refers to the letter of K.Venugopal under the caption'The Spiritual >Path' (January 26) wherein he says"truth can be expressed variously"- which >is vague, unspecified and misleading. One is required to know the basic >grammar of religious convictions.The study of religions reflects conflict >of convictions which are broadly classified as(i) 'Monotheism' - faith in >the existence of only one god and none else. (ii)'Polytheism' - belief in >the existence of several gods and godesses (which are regarded as >fictitious and non- existent according to monotheism) and (iii) Atheism - >belief in no god. Besides there are conflicting views in respect of life >and death, sin and punishment, path of salvation etc.> Brevity of this column restricts this writer to explain in full detail. >As regards Christian conviction is concerned, it being a doctrinal faith, >adhering to a definite creed or code of faith, it does not dilute with any >other unrestricted beliefs lest,it may lose its identity. It being an >apostolic faith, propagation of which is an essential and inseparable part >of christianity so much so that if it is not propagated it ceases to be a >religion. One cannot hold two convictions to be true at the same time if >and when these are contrary to each other. Similarly, marking vote for more >than one symbol will invalidate the vote.>> Richard Martis>

Conversions‏
From: Venugopal Kaikulath (venu1005@hotmail.com)
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 3:12:39 PM
To: rcmartis@yahoo.co.in

Dear Richard Martis,

I read your letter in Asian Age dated 11th January. I feel that religions are teachings to take man along on the spiritual path and no number of religions is too many for the task. When all scriptures are available to us, then why restrict ourselves to just one scripture? We have the right to follow and preach whichever religion we wish, but this right is questionable when given to someone who insists that only one scripture is valid and all the others are erroneous. I am a Hindu and I have no reservations about accepting Christianity and Bible, not because I have personally studied and concluded that they are valid, but because the Hindu culture says that truth can be expressed variously. In the light of this understanding, conversion, which presupposes that God can be viewed only from one vantage point, is based on a narrow-minded approach and the consequence is bigotry and worse. RegardsK.VenugopalMumbai

Religious conversions‏
From: Venugopal Kaikulath (venu1005@hotmail.com)
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 3:16:14 PM
To: medasia@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in
The Editor,Asian Age.

Dear Sir,

This refers to Richard Martis’ letter Religion is Conviction in Asian Age dated 11th January. I feel that religions are teachings to take man along on the spiritual path and no number of religions is too many for the task. When all scriptures are available to us, then why restrict ourselves to just one scripture? We have the right to follow and preach whichever religion we wish, but this right is questionable when given to someone who insists that only one scripture is valid and all the others are erroneous. I am a Hindu and I have no reservations about accepting Christianity and Bible, not because I have personally studied and concluded that they are valid, but because the Hindu culture says that truth can be expressed variously. In the light of this understanding, conversion, which presupposes that God can be viewed only from one vantage point, is based on a narrow-minded approach and the consequence is bigotry and worse.

Regards

K.Venugopal3rd Floor, Dossa Mansion,Sir P.M. Road, Fort,Mumbai - 400 001.